ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he has signed legislation enabling the expansion of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the upgrades will include putting a retractable roof on the U.S. Open’s center court.
Cuomo says Friday that the legislation provides for a nearly 1-acre boundary expansion of the entire complex and the return to the city’s parks department of 1.5 acres for public recreational use.
U.S. Tennis Association officials announced last month that the Open’s center court, Arthur Ashe Stadium, will be covered by a retractable roof no later than the 2017 tournament. Rain had pushed the men’s final from Sunday to Monday each of the past five years.
The project, to be paid for by the USTA, includes more tennis courts at the Queens complex and other improvements.
